Character
by xThomas2
Summary: An old wizened man appears at the Mouri Detective Agency, asking for Edogawa Conan. He has some things to say.


I've taken some time to contemplate character flaws.

On a dreary raining November day, Ran Mouri and Conan Edogawa were sitting in the house, looking through photos they recently took. An old wizened man with glasses walked up to the door and rapped on it three times.

"I'll get it!" Ran answered.

The old man stared down at the girl. "May I speak to Conan Edogawa?"

"Yes, please come in, Mr.?"

The old man bent down to take off his sandals then walked in past Ran. He stopped in the living room to look at Conan. And then he spoke.

"Kudo Shinichi, you are an arrogant, manipulative self righteous prick."

Ran jerked as if struck.

Conan dropped the photos.

"I have thought about you for the past month and turned introspective. I was displeased with what I found."

The boy glared and snarled at him. "What do you want with Shinichi, old man?"

But he kept speaking, ignoring the interruption. "The detective was strong and just. He saved lives without prompting. He tried to put the dead to rest. There were friends and acquaintances all around him. But he was cocky."

The old man grabbed Conan by the back of his hair. He struggled to get out of the hold.

"The young man witnessed something. An illegal transaction by criminals. He tried to get away. But they hit him over the head. He was forced to take a drug. It should've killed him."

Conan's struggling increased tremendously. Ran got ready to strike at a moments notice. The old man payed them no heed.

"But.. He was lucky. He lived. Though he was no longer himself as he should be. It was, to him, a day of disaster."

The old man moved suddenly, throwing Conan into Ran's arms, knocking both of them down.

"That young man had fallen down, and with him so did everything around him. Even the truth, the truth of his identity, was no longer safe for people to know."

Ran's eyes widened. Conan put his hand on his watch.

"When he learned just how big this enemy may be, he became fearful. It was for good reason that he did not do anything rash at the time. For if he had, he would not have lived this long."

The boy's hands wavered over the watch, and he scrunched up his face. The girl, Ran, stood up.

"It took a while, but he made friends. Allies, even. And the one he loved most would be safe from Them with him, though she didn't know it."

"But he made a mistake." And the old man moved out of sight. Ran and Conan looked around warily.

"He took his friends for granted. _He m__anipulated people! _Though he once tried to uphold the truth, he ended up hurting those around him."

The old man appeared suddenly, punching Ran in the stomach, and she nearly doubled over. He then slapped her across the face. Conan kicked a soccer ball to the man's face, knocking off his glasses and causing him to stumble.

"Leave her out of this!" Conan yelled at the old man.

The old man took his hand off his face, blood streaking down. He glared and took the boy by his hair again, eliciting a cry of pain.

With gravelly voice, the man spoke again. "If the boy was smart, he would allow her a little of the truth. So that she would help him in his time of need. So that they could forge bonds of more than peacetime friendship and love. Bonds in a war zone that would be hard to break."

Ran jumped at the man, her movements quick and strong. He dodged, allowing Conan to be hit instead. He was knocked out of his grip and skidded across the floor.

"Unfortunately, the boy was an idiot. Thus he would lose the girl he loved most. Not to fighting or anything like that. Just her choice."

The old man took out a red and white pill. Ran eyed it warily.

"But she was to him the perfect girl. Untouched, beautiful, strong, and most importantly pure. After seeing so many evil girls in his cases as detective, he knew firsthand the evils of humanity. That is why-"

"No," said Ran. "I won't lose and I will NOT do what you said!" She glared defiantly.

The old man stopped talking. Ran continued.

"I might be mad, but I won't do anything evil. He might have lied, but I understand now. If Shinichi protects me because I'm the girl he loves, I will give him all I can give. I won't betray him!"

The room stilled. Conan looked up, Ran glared in her karate stance, and the old man stood. And then he smiled. "My work is done. Stay safe. Oh, and give this to Kudo. He'll know what to do."

And as mysteriously as he came, he left.


End file.
